Introduction
No matter the attempts to deny or minimize it, the issue of income inequality persists, and without systematic efforts, it will remain unaddressed. It is a global problem with different causes ranging from the unequal distribution of land to stagnant wages. In recent years, the global economy has been subjected to severe pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated inequality. Even though a period of recovery has already started, it is unlikely that the current efforts could help alleviate the burdens and bring equality to society once and for all.
Documentary Inequality for All (2013), directed by Jacob Kornbluth, focuses on the sole problem behind the economic inequality of global society, such as that the rich get richer while the rest of the people get poorer. Even though this is an inconvenient truth, the message that the makers of the movie pursued had to make the audience uncomfortable and think deeper about the reasons behind the unfair access to opportunities among the population.
Income Inequality
Income inequality refers to a significant gap in income distribution between individuals, social classes or even countries and is a social stratification dimension. In the current consumption-driven economy, the main losers are the middle class, which grew in the post-war period when the government investment into public education and labor units was effective, while people in high-income brackets paid significant tax rates to the country (Walsh). The documentary shows that the economy’s prosperity depends on the financial health of the middle class and its ability to spend its disposable income on consumption. However, Reagan’s Tax Reform Act of 1986 caused a widening gap in income as the taxes for the wealthy were lowered while the wages of the working class stagnated.
In addition, competition brought by globalization and technological advancement contributed to the decreased importance of manufacturing jobs in the US that sustained the middle class. Furthermore, the filmmakers emphasize the role of the most significant crises in US history, the Great Depression and the financial collapse of 2008, in propelling wealth disparities. From the last point of economic failure, the government has been unable to implement measures to establish policies conducive to equality of opportunity.
Analysis of the Documentary
An essential component of the documentary is the interview of the middle-class representatives who were highly discouraged by the state of affairs. Some of the interviewees were unemployed and could not find work, while their wives, who had limited experience working, had to find minor jobs to supplement the minuscule income of their husbands. Others have reported losing their homes because of owing too much money to the bank and not being able to pay them back.
Personally, I agree with the filmmakers that the voices of these people must be heard because they tend to be lost in the sea of others. Among the surprising points of the movie are the comments that Nick Hanauer made on the disparities in income. Nick is the CEO of a pillow company and makes a thousand times more than an average American citizen. Even though some may villainize people like him, the criticism he provides for the country’s direction is honest and eye-opening.
In particular, Hanauer is against the fallacious idea that the tax cuts for the wealthy will facilitate the creation of jobs (Dowd). In reality, such cuts do not work because many wealthy people tend to save a lot of money, which has positive outcomes in some areas but not when it comes to job creation. In contrast, the less rich people usually spend the largest chunks of their income, which makes tax cuts for the middle and lower class more effective for job creation. The revelations of the documentary are crucial for developing a new perspective on the state of affairs.
Notably, the filmmakers state that around a quarter of American children are born into poverty and are very unlikely to break the vicious cycle. In contrast, four hundred of the wealthiest people in the country possess more money than half of the US population entirely. It is expected that when people learn from their mistakes, they avoid making them in the future; however, the documentary suggests that despite the broad awareness of income inequality in American society, no positive takeaways from history were made
Conclusion
Even though the situation presented in the documentary appears quite bleak, the interviews and the depictions of Tea Party rallies were intended to frustrate the viewers the same way they frustrated the filmmakers. Battling the unfairness of society and financial inequality is likened to the need to stand up to a bully who has been spoiling your life. While the film is about the economic state of a country, it touches people personally and emotionally due to the longstanding effects of injustice and disparity. Finally, before the government implements policies conducive to helping underserved populations overcome financial burdens and begins nurturing the middle class, the filmmakers encourage their audience to care for one another and stand up for what is right.
Works Cited
Dowd, A. A. “Inequality for All.” AV Club. 2013. Web.
Walsh, Katie. “Review: Hopeful & Inspiring Documentary ‘Inequality for All’ Featuring Robert Reich Champions the Middle Class.” Indie Wire. 2013. Web.
Loading...
